Plunge-bath.



FBOORABM @L G. E. ROHMER.

PLUNGB BATH. APPLICATION I'ILBD DEO. 18, 1912.

J QN l N.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT 'or-Fien JOHN FRANCIS Booman, or GBEENWICH,CONNEQTICUT, ANI GABRIEL E. Romarin, .or RIDGEFIELD PABX,- NEW JERSEY.

PLUNGE- BATH.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that we, JOHN FRANCIS BooRAEM, acitizen of the United States of America, residing in Greenwich, 1n thecounty of Fairield', in the State of Connectlcut, and GABRIEL E. ROHMER,a citizen o f the United States of America, residing in Ridgeeld Park,in the county of Bergen, in the State of N ew Jersey, have inventedcertaln new and useful Improvements in Plunge- Baths, of which thefollowing'is a speclcation.-

This invention relates to plunge-baths, and more particularly to animproved ladder or flight of steps therefor, for the purpose offacilitating entrance to and eXlt from the bath. Hi-therto it wascustomary. to use ladders made of iron, projecting-from the wall of thebath. Such ladders were unsightly, obstructed the bath, diminished theavailable swimming area, and were a source of annoyance and danger toswimmers.

The ob'ect of this invention is to do away with lad ers of this kind,and for this purpose the invention consists in providing 1n the wall ofthe plunge-bath terra cotta stepmembers having recesses therein for thepurpose of enabling the bathers to use the same with hands and feet inthe way that the risers of a ladder are used.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough a plunge-bath equipped with ourl 1nvent1on, Fig. 2 is a verticaltransverse section through an individual step-member constructedaccording to the invention, Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the member shown in Fig. 2, on line 3 3, Fig. 2, Flgs. 4 and 5are vertical transverse sect-lons through a modified form ofstep-member, showing the mode-of use of the same by foot and hand,respectively, Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a front elevation of themember shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and a vertlcal longitudinal. section ofthe same on line 7 7, Flg. 4, and Fig. 8 is a vertical transversesection through a form of step-member' specially adaptedl for use at thetop of the plungebath.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe views.

Referring to the drawin and more particularly to Fig. 1, the plunge-bath10 1sl shown with one end, 11, s allower than the other. The bath isprovided with a life-rail 13 of approved construction, around itsSpecication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Application filed December 18, 1912. Serial No. 737,434.

Y' up er edge. Both ends of the bath are pro` vi ed with hand-holds 14,which assist the bathers lwhen entering and when leaving the tank. Atboth ends' ladders or steps 15 are provided, which consist each of aplurality of superposed step-members 16, havin each a pocket orydepression 17 therein a apted to receive the footor hand of the batherand afford a secure grip thereto. The foot when placed in the pocket issupported atthe forward portion by the bottom or tread 18 of the pocket,and the foot is supported at the arch on an uprightprest 19 at the frontof the pocket; which rest also serves when the pocket is used b the handinstead ofthe foot, as a hold or' the fingers. The tread slopes fromboth sides toward the center of the same, and at the center is the upperend of a drain-opening 20, the lower end of which is at the outside ofthe step-member.

Water dripping from the feet and hands of users, or splashed into thepocket, is thereby drained out, and the pocket is kept free of water andconstantly washed by use. When the step-members are placed aty thewaterlevel, water enters the pocket through the olpening 20, and flushesthe same. This is s own in Fig. 2, 1n which the water ofA the tank isindicated at`21. i

In the form of step-member. shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the pocket 27is made larger than in Figs. 2 and 3, and for affording a rm footing thetread 24 is made of uniform height rom side to side of 'the pocket. Forcausing the proper drainage of water oi of the tread, the same 'isforwardly inclined to such extent as to cause the water to freely runofi, but not to such extent as t-o materially aect the security of thefoot when placed thereon. Such in clination causes the water to draininto a channel 23 which is provided at the forward portion of thestep-member immediately back of the front vertical rest 24. Said channelis provided with sloping sides 25, which conduct the Water to adrain-opening 26 which leads the drainage to the outside of the step-member. The depth of the channel 23, and its width, are such that thelingers of the bather are freely accommodated therein and are permittedto grasp the rest 24 without obstruction. Thus whether used by foot orby hand, the stepmember gives reliable support.

In'Fig. 8 is shown another arrangement, in which theuppermost member ismade integral with the life-rail 30. By making these parts integral, itis possible to give both parts the necessary strength, While at the sametime reducing the vertical distance from the step to the life-rail, sothat the bather may Without extra eli'ort step from the topmost stepover thelife-rail.\ff

The members are arranged as shown iin Fig. l, preferably at each end ofthe plungebath tank', and are superposed on each other, so as to form aladder or series of steps in the Wall of the tank, so that thebathersmay place feet and hands in the same and thereby nd conveniententrance and vexit from the bath.

By placing the feet 'in the step-members, and grasping the life-rail byhand, bathers' may easily rest and support themselves above the Water.It is also preferable to arrange a series 28-.of `these members on ahorizontal line approximately at water level, extending from the kdeepto theshal` loWv portion of the tank, thus alfording a safety-deviceenabling bathers to vind'support When exhausted, and to make their Wayfrom the deep to thel shallbvsT portion of the' tank. v We have shownseveral forms of stepmembers, but it is obvious that other conlstructions may be employed, Without de parting from the `spirit of theinvention.

We claim: l. ln a plunge-bath, a plurality of members superposedon eachother and each having a pocket, said members having each a tread for theforward portion of the foot,

and a rest for the middle of the same, and a drain-channel between "saidtread and rest.

2. A plunge bath block having a complete foot pocket provided with acentral drain opening and drain chambers sloping laterally in oppositedirections toward said f to place his feet in the pockets While. grasp-4ing the life rail. y

4. A plunge bath member having a complete pocket and provided With a lipextending upward from the top of the pocket Hush vvith the outer face ofthe member adapted to serve as a hand hold.

5. Aplunge bath member having a pocket provided with a tread for theyforward portion of the foot, a rest for the middle theres of and adrain channel between said rest and tread.

6. A plunge bath member having a complete foot pocket provided With aninner tread for the forward portion of the foot and a lip at the outeredge thereof adapted to serve as av rest for the middle portion of the`foot or as a hand hold. y*

In testimony, that we claim the foregoing `as our invention, We havesigned our names in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN runners Boomen.' `GABRIEL RQHMER.

l/Vitnesses JoHN MUnTAGi-i, F. Hose.

